Pregnancy

Diet During Pregnancy

Some of the unhealthy foods are the following:

Raw Meat: Uncooked or undercooked food including poultry products, beef, or seafood must be avoided due to the risk of contamination. It can be due to bacteria, like salmonella, toxoplasmosis, or coliform bacteria.

Deli Meat: These meats are known to be contaminated with listeria that can result in miscarriage. This micro-organism crosses the placental barrier and infects the baby, which results in blood poisoning or infection. It can be life-threatening and especially if you are pregnant you need to be extremely cautious.

Fish with Mercury: Fish that have very high amounts of mercury must be avoided completely. Mercury that is consumed during pregnancy is known to delay the development of the brain. Some of the fish that have mercury in them are swordfish, tilefish, shark and king mackerel. Fish used in sushi also should be avoided because of the high levels of mercury in them.

Smoked Seafood: Smoked and refrigerated seafood called kippered, and nova style, jerky, or lox must be avoided as they are contaminated by listeria. These are usually safe if they are ingredients in a meal that has already been cooked, for example, casserole.

Fish Exposed to Industrial Pollutants: Avoid the intake of fish that are from the contaminated rivers and lakes, which are exposed to huge amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls. These fish include striped bass, trout, walleye, bluefish, salmon, and pike. Contact the Environmental Protection Agency to know which fish are safe for consuming.

Raw Shellfish: Undercooked shellfish like clams, oysters, and mussels are the cause of majority of the seafood-borne diseases. Cooking prevents certain infections, but the one that is caused due to algae cannot be prevented. They should be avoided completely.

Raw Eggs: Foods that have raw eggs must be avoided completely. Some of the homemade dressings like mayonnaise, custards, ice cream, Caesar dressing and Hollandaise should be made without the use of eggs. Some of the recipes are cooked at a point when this would reduce the salmonella infection to some extent. Ice creams, eggnog, and dressings, which are made from pasteurized eggs, have less chance of spreading the salmonella infection. Restaurants must also start using eggs that are pasteurized.

Soft Cheeses: Some cheeses that are imported contain Listeria, a type of bacteria that is responsible for miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placental barrier, which can infect the baby and can be life-threatening. You must avoid the intake of certain cheeses, like Camembert, Feta, Gorgonzola, Roquefort and Mexican style cheeses that have Quesoblanco and fresco. If they state that they are made from pasteurized milk, then they are safe to eat.

Unpasteurized Milk: Milk that is not pasteurized contains certain bacteria that can result in miscarriages. You should always drink pasteurized milk.

Pate: Meat spreads which are refrigerated must be avoided as they contain certain bacteria, which can cause severe and serious infections. Shelf safe or canned pate spreads must be eaten.

Caffeine: Most studies state that caffeine consumption in moderate levels is fine, but there are some studies that state that caffeine intake can cause miscarriages. So, you must avoid the consumption of caffeine in the first trimester to reduce the chances of miscarriage. Caffeine is a diuretic that helps in the elimination of fluids from the body. This can lead to the loss of calcium and water. You must drink plenty of water, milk, and juice. Some research has stated that large amounts of caffeine can result in premature birth, low birth weight, withdrawal symptoms in infants, and miscarriage. The safest thing that you can do is stop the intake of caffeine.

Alcohol: Studies have stated that alcohol in any quantity is not safe during pregnancy. Alcohol should be completely stopped during pregnancy as it can interfere with the normal development of the baby. Drinking alcoholic beverages can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and other developmental problems. If you have consumed alcohol before you were aware that you were pregnant, and then stop drinking when you know that you are pregnant. Alcohol passed on to the fetus can cause harmful conditions. So, avoid the intake of alcohol as it is unsafe for the mother during pregnancy.

Unwashed Vegetables: You can consume vegetables. However, make sure that you wash the vegetables to avoid exposure to certain chemical that are sprayed on these vegetables or toxoplasmosis. This is a micro-organism that contaminates the soil where the vegetables grow.